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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22394797">Gold to Rust</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BasicallyAnIdiot/pseuds/BasicallyAnIdiot'>BasicallyAnIdiot</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>HCS Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby &amp; Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby &amp; Alpha Sapphire Versions, Pocket Monsters: Ruby &amp; Sapphire &amp; Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cheating, Day 6, F/M, HCS Week 2020, Infidelity, SameAge!AU, Sex, To be clear here Steven is the married one, Unhappy marriage, and hates it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:00:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22394797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BasicallyAnIdiot/pseuds/BasicallyAnIdiot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven was always good at removing his wedding band before coming to see her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruka | May/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>HCS Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>82</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Gold to Rust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Day 6 of Shikisai's HoennChampionShip Week 2020 on tumblr. Prompt was Angst.</p><p>Here we go!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Gold to Rust</strong>
</p><p>In a word, the whole thing was fucked. </p><p>That it grated on both of them, though never enough for them to stop, was just another piece to ever growing shitshow if they were caught. Which they would be- it was only a matter of time before someone caught sight of something more than just two former Champions spending time together. </p><p>But, May mused in the fleeting moments of lucidity, at least it was fun. </p><p>Lunch was a common thing when they happened to be in the same town or city. Nothing suspicious. Two friends sharing a meal and catching up. Entirely professional. Not a single stray hand to be seen. </p><p>The next common thing was a midnight visit to either a hotel or apartment with significantly less talking and entirely unprofessional.</p><p>Steven was always good at removing his wedding band before coming to see her, just another lie thrown on top of the rest of them. Having met his wife thrice, May could understand why, even for him, his travelling took on a whole new level of miles. If she counted the days and weeks- he probably spent more time in the air than he did on the ground. </p><p>If she was feeling charitable, May would chalk it up to a bad match between two people who couldn’t be further apart in interests and goals- brought and held together only by the burden of family expectations and business. But more and more frequently, she couldn’t help but wonder if Mrs. Stone was as vain and social-climbing as some reported her to be. Or if Steven was as cold and as heartless as any truly successful businessman, not caring about anything outside of work. </p><p>But he didn’t feel cold as he pushed her against the wall, almost frantic as he kissed her senseless. A kind of desperation to his motions as he tried to touch every bit of exposed skin he could get ahold of, lifting the skirt of her dress. As he bent her over a cheap desk, a warm hand interlocked with her’s, as he took her first from behind. The hot breath panting against the shell of her ear, the slickness between her spread eagle legs, how she bit her lip to stifle her moans. </p><p>He came near silently, pinning her against the desk with a few harsh thrusts, just a strangled gasp. Her own breathing was a ragged mess, soreness creeping up her spine as she let the desk hold her weight for a moment. A kiss to the base of neck, exhale cool against the sweat, brought her back. She gasped ever so slightly as he pulled out. </p><p>Steven straightened her dress with careful gestures, and gently pulled her back against him. </p><p>The whole thing was fucked, she reminded herself when her breathing returned to normal. Had been since they were stuck together tracking an idiot with delusions of grandeur around the continent and the league hadn’t been able to spare the current Champion. </p><p>She should have been stronger. One of the most powerful, respected Pokémon trainers to have ever come from Hoenn- and she couldn’t keep it together long enough to <em> not </em> jump her predecessor. </p><p>It didn’t matter Steven accepted her advance with open arms. </p><p>Cool air of the hotel room chilled her back as the zipper was slowly pulled down. The back of a hand running down the length of her spine, trailing goosebumps. Changing direction, fingers slipped between her skin and the fabric, pushing the cotton away. </p><p>Another kiss to her exposed shoulder, then another, then another. Steadily working his way up to her neck, taking his time, giving her a chance to breathe. The frantic desperation of seeing each other again gone- replaced with a sense of leisure. </p><p>It didn’t matter, she reminded herself once more, that he always tried to consume her like he was a starving man. That he looked like he hadn’t laughed in years at the start of that wild goose chase. That when he finally laughed, at a stupid pun of all things, he cried at the same time. That his marriage was killing him, slice by slice.</p><p>That he would press her into the bed, kissing her deeply, prop her up with pillows and blankets and make love to her. Whispering little things in her ear as he methodically worshiped her. Penance for the roughness earlier. </p><p>Or how she would wait until he was exhausted, spent, to flip him on to his back and lick every bit of skin she could find. Working him back up for another round with every touch because they didn’t know when they would see each other again. Didn’t know if that time would be the last time or not. </p><p>She’d ride him until he came again, just as slow and steady as he had ruined her, keeping him soundly between her legs as he shuddered to completion- truly spent, boneless against the bed as she fell onto him.  Snuggling up with an arm wrapped around her and a nose in her hair. Blankets pulled up over them both. </p><p>Then reality would set in. </p><p>The part where he would sigh, kiss her head once, then get up, dress and leave. </p><p>And she would roll over, wait until the door shut and the footsteps receded, to cry into her pillow. </p><p>But Steven didn’t leave. </p><p>She just about fallen asleep, cradled in the nook between his arm and chest, head on his shoulder, when the thought hit her. May blinked awake, “Is something wrong?” </p><p>The finger tracing circles on her hip changed direction. Clockwise now. He hummed softly and kissed her head. “Why would something be wrong?”</p><p>A hysterical laugh died in her throat. She shifted enough to throw her leg over his hips, shuffling closer. “You’re still here.”</p><p>The tracing turned to a measured tap, ending with a hand over her hip. “Is that such a bad thing?”</p><p>May cracked open an eye, watching his expression. She weighed her words, torn between pulling him closer and pushing away. She stayed where she was. “Only if you don’t want to get caught.” </p><p>He hummed, the echo vibrating under her cheek, head falling back on the pillow. “Some days I think it would be easier.”</p><p>“That’s not what we agreed to.” </p><p>“No, it’s not.” He blinked opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. “Have you ever thought about having children?”</p><p>May froze, blinking owlishly at him in surprise. That wasn’t one of the topics they agreed never to talk about, but it sure felt like it should have been one. Her words seemed to tangle in her mouth, “Maybe? I mean, in the future. Someday. Maybe. A kid or two would be nice.” She shook her head, "Why are you even asking?" </p><p>He hummed, the sound rumbling through his body as he closed his eyes again. “Tiffany’s pregnant.” </p><p>Her mouth went dry. What could she say to that? What was the correct response to the news that the wife of the man she was fucking was expecting? </p><p>If Steven noticed her silence, he didn’t comment on it. Even quieter he added, “It’s not mine.” </p><p>Something bitter caught on the back of May’s tongue. “How do you know for sure?”</p><p>His sigh rumbled. “Because she’s three months in and we haven’t shared the same bed for six.” </p><p>It probably wasn’t unreasonable to assume that if Steven was so unhappy with his marriage, his wife would be too. All the same May shifted enough to sit up, “What are you going to do?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling for a long moment before glancing at her, then returned to staring at the ceiling, an arm under the back of his head. “Children were in the cards for me at one point, but infidelity is grounds for divorce under Hoenn Law, but to accuse her of cheating seems…”</p><p>May smiled sharply, “Hypocritical?”</p><p>Steven’s returning smile was more grimace. “To say the least.” </p><p>“Would getting a divorce be such a bad thing?” May slid back down on her side, adjusting the borrowed sheets. Her words seemed to hang in the air. </p><p>“It would be… messy.” He frowned. “If it came down to it, I don’t know what it would mean for the merger. Or if she would keep the baby. Or if you would get dragged into it.”</p><p>“We knew this was going to be messy.” Knew it was going to be a mess from the moment they tumbled in her sleeping bag, deep in hastily built secret base as a storm blew through. That it would always be a mess when she went to apologize for a lot of things and instead they fucked on his desk. That it was still a mess a year later.</p><p>“Yes, but you are not acceptable collateral damage. The damage to your reputation-“</p><p>“For something that I did willingly and knowingly?” She brought a hand up and traced the muscles of his chest. “If you have a chance to get out of a situation that makes you unhappy, why not just… take it? I’ll be fine. I survived the end of the world and I can survive whatever comes next. And you would finally be able to find out what you want.”</p><p>He stared at her. Steel eyes considering. Moving slowly, he brought his arm down from the pillow to grip her hand. Without breaking his gaze, he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. The hand on her hip slid further around, coming to rest on her lower stomach. His lips brushed against her skin as he murmured, “I already know what I want.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Come say 'hi' on<a href="https://basicallyanidiot.tumblr.com/"> Tumblr!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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